Affordable Parkers With Gold Nibs?

Hello! I have several cheap Parker pens—Vectors, Jotters, one 88 Place Vendome...—and enjoy them quite a bit. Recently, I have decided to make a greater effort toward acquiring pens with gold nibs and was wondering... are there any modern Parkers with gold nibs in the $100-200 range? Anyone have any specific recommendations? This would obviously be my first high-end Parker. I'd be willing to consider a vintage pen, too.

Ooh, that's a beauty. I should perhaps add that I am going to be putting a little money aside each month to save up for nice pens (I've got enough cheapies!), so I wouldn't have been able to afford this at present even if I were in the UK.

Well, I would consider vintage pens. For example, right now in the FPN Classifieds, there are people fellow FPN members selling Parker 51 pens for about $80 or $85 each. Even other vendors like Old Griz sell 51's in the $100-$150 range.

Here's a suggestion a Parker Sonnet I saw on amazon a few days a go with solid 18k gold nib for only £65 (95 USD) . I don't know how much it would be in the USA however there are some good priced pens on amazon.

Well, I would consider vintage pens. For example, right now in the FPN Classifieds, there are people fellow FPN members selling Parker 51 pens for about $80 or $85 each. Even other vendors like Old Griz sell 51's in the $100-$150 range.

Forgive me if this is an ignorant question, but... the 51s do have gold nibs? I wasn't sure about that. And, really, it doesn't *have* to be gold. I just want something of true quality that will be smooth and sort of, well, luxurious-feeling.

Here's a suggestion a Parker Sonnet I saw on amazon a few days a go with solid 18k gold nib for only £65 (95 USD) . I don't know how much it would be in the USA however there are some good priced pens on amazon.

The Parker 51's all have gold nibs, if it says it has a steel nib, it is either a fake pen, or a pen which has had the original nib switched out for a POS Chinese steel nib. If you want get a real Parker 51, check out what a reputable vendor like Old Gris, aka Tom Mullane has to offer.

The Parker 51's all have gold nibs, if it says it has a steel nib, it is either a fake pen, or a pen which has had the original nib switched out for a POS Chinese steel nib. If you want get a real Parker 51, check out what a reputable vendor like Old Gris, aka Tom Mullane has to offer.

Suggest you take a look at the staggeringly beautiful photos in the "51 colours" thread on this forum currently. Now undoubtedly, there are some expensive pens in there ( the double jeweled pens for example), but the aerometrics are very well priced, as mentioned above.

You could even get out to antique stores and flea markets and find one of these for less than 20$, and with a bit of a clean and flush, get it working within a few hours.

Generally, older Parker 51s, eg Vacumatics and Aeromatics, have gold nibs, and Parker 51 Specials have octanium nibs. However, if the pen has been repaired it may have an octanium nib. And to add to the confusion, some Specials have gold nibs (I have one).

Older Sonnets have solid gold nibs and tend to be trouble-free. However there have been a number of complaints on the FPN about recent Sonnets.

Parker 100s have gold nibs, but they are very soft, and some don't like the size/heft of those pens.

As for writing pleasure, it all depends on the tipping, not the rest of the nib. One of my nicest writing pens is a $6 Kaigelu 356 with solid stainless steel nib, and it is up there with my Sailors, Sonnet and Parker 51s.

As for writing pleasure, it all depends on the tipping, not the rest of the nib. One of my nicest writing pens is a $6 Kaigelu 356 with solid stainless steel nib, and it is up there with my Sailors, Sonnet and Parker 51s.

Yeah, after I posted this topic, I read something where Richard Binder is basically saying the same thing re: tipping.

Swanjun wrote: "...are there any modern Parkers with gold nibs in the $100-200 range? Anyone have any specific recommendations? This would obviously be my first high-end Parker. I'd be willing to consider a vintage pen, too."

The Parker 51's all have gold nibs, if it says it has a steel nib, it is either a fake pen, or a pen which has had the original nib switched out for a POS Chinese steel nib. If you want get a real Parker 51, check out what a reputable vendor like Old Gris, aka Tom Mullane has to offer.

If it is a steel nib , it could either be a Parker 21 which did have steel nibs, or a Parker 21 nib in a 51. Parker fitted a Parker 51 gold nib into my 21 when I was 18yo, and the Parker workshop technician told me the nibs were compatible.

The prices you are being quoted for 51s are reasonable. Look out for the CC version of the 61 as well.

You specifically stated you want a modern pen. That leaves out the Parker 51 (a good pen, but I like my vintage 1950 Italian Aurora 88 better). I have owned both the high end Sonnet with gold nib and a modern Duofold with gold nib. I think the Sonnet is a so-so pen; nothing special. Its best feature is its size and ergonomics.

My modern made-in-UK Duofold International, on the other hand, is one of my real "keepers". The fit and finish is superior to my Sailors, Pelikans, and Auroras. It is made of a scratch-resistant hard cast acrylic which never gets dull. The nib is soft and smooth and trouble free. It uses an oversize ink cartridge with double the capacity of a standard international.

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